Just Wild About Harry

Harry Reid is.

Takes credit for expanding the size of the Democratic Senate caucus from 45 to (likely) 59 in four years under his leadership!

Reid brushes aside the critics, pointing to the electoral successes his caucus has enjoyed in the four years since he took over as a minority leader with 45 seats and a president attempting to privatize Social Security.

"I’ve got 59 senators now, so I’m not doing too bad," he said in an interview yesterday. 

His dreadful management style began on Day One, as he lumped the Coburn Hold bills together and called for weekend votes.

Reid issued another threat yesterday and vowed to hold weekend votes, a common tactic for Senate leaders but not one generally issued on the second legislative day of the year. "People who are United States senators should cancel their travel plans this weekend," Reid said on the Senate floor.

And of course there’s been Harry Reid’s victory lap on seating Roland Burris.

Asked if this was how he had expected to start the new year, Reid bellowed, "No!"

"It’s certainly been a diversion," he said. "A lot of time has been devoted to that. But I don’t think it’s kept us from the other things."

Unclear on the concept of political capital. When you’re derided everywhere in the political sphere for your signature move — capitulation — your leadership is severely threatened regardless of how happy your caucus colleagues say they are with you. Just ask Trent Lott how quickly a leadership position can slip away when the White House political office decides you’re a liability. 

Gotta wonder if Harry Reid is on Trent Lott’s kind of borrowed time as 2009 begins.